Where did I go?
I mentioned in my previous blog about spending time in the environment and how important it is for our mental health. Well... I tried it, and it took me to West Kirby Beach. Although I hated every second of travelling there alone, I know I needed to push through it and just feel the fear and do it anyway. The weather, by the looks of thing didnt want me there either, but I battled on.
I spent a good few hours up there not only taking in the views but also understanding my own views and opinions on a variety of subjects, all whilst going round cleaning up the beach with a litter picker and a big bin bag for all the rubbish that somehow seems to accumulate.
I went even further to battle my own anxiety, even reached out to people I didnt know, just having a chat about what I do and who I am. I guess you could say im taking steps in the right direction for all the right reasons.
Our tips for a fully enjoyable beach clean experience
What to wear and bring
As you will have gathered by reading the above, you need to be ready for any kind of weather: if it rains, you’ll need raincoats, wellies, hats, waterproof backpacks. Also, you’ll need to be very careful as rocky beaches become really slippery when wet. If it’s sunny, don’t forget sun block, hats, sunglasses and a reusable water bottle to keep hydrated. Regardless of how lucky you are with the weather, make sure you wear comfortable clothes and shoes/flip flops, so you can happily hop around.
Beach clean tools
In terms of tools that will make your life easier, big garden bags to collect litter are great as they are sturdy and won’t end up breaking while you are enthusiastically cleaning. Also, gloves are a must – some of the litter you’ll find can be sharp (e.g. pieces of glass, cans) or not very clean (sanitary items, needles), so it’s best to wear protective gloves at all times. Litter pickers are a great bonus: while they are not strictly necessary to carry out a beach clean, they can be of great help as they prevent you from having to bend down every other second.
I want to get involved, where can I start? And how do I organise a beach clean?
This of course varies massively depending on weather it’s you and a couple of friends setting off to the beach to get some fresh air, a nice swim and collect some plastic waste for the greater good, or you’re trying to organise a team building activity for your company.
If the main goal is an enjoyable day out at the beach with your family and friends and the number of participants is small, you can of course plan this yourself. No action is too little! Just refer to the tips above if you are unsure as to what you will need to make sure you leave a clean beach behind and come home without a cold or a sunstroke.
If on top of the above, you’d also like to meet new, like-minded people, there are several organisations and volunteer groups who meet regularly to clean together. These activities are a lot of fun and can be great both if you are beach-clean virgin as well as if you are a more experienced and weathered beach cleaner.
For companies wanting to organise team building activities and promote team days out, or even just seeking to help a bit in reducing plastic pollution, we strongly recommend organising with your company and colleagues, who may be able to help you plan the day and will bring to the table much more than just kit and equipment – enthusiasm, passion and an understanding of a company's need to boost its reputation.
If a beach clean is not really your thing (no judging here, to each their own!), there are plenty of other ways you can get involved. You can choose to subscribe to an ethical and vegan friendly subscription box, to help save the planet, by subscribing you are removing and replacing alot of the plastic from your lives.